Driver killed in Oakham crash, passenger injured

OAKHAM — The driver of a 1997 Toyota Camry was killed and his passenger seriously injured when their car struck a tree on New Braintree Road just after 3 p.m. Sunday.

Shamus O'Toole, 21, of Marshfield, was taken by ambulance to UMass Memorial Medical Center — University Campus in Worcester, where he succumbed to injuries, Oakham Police Sgt. Kevin R. Tucker said.

The passenger, Andrew Kane, 23, of Marshfield, was flown from Rutland to the same hospital, where he was listed in stable condition Sunday night, police said.

The car was headed southeast on the rural, winding road and was rounding a curve when the accident occurred. The road was closed for several hours during the investigation, which involved state troopers from the collision analysis and reconstruction section who were working to determine what caused the accident and whether the victims were wearing seat belts.

Police said Sunday night they do not believe the men were buckled up.

Neighbors, along with police and fire officials, said the road is not one where accidents often occur. It is a residential area and the road is not heavily traveled, being used mostly by residents, they said.

The fatality is the second on Oakham roads this year.

In March, a senior from Quabbin Regional High School in Barre died in a single-vehicle crash on Old Turnpike Road. Jeremy Kauppila of Hubbardston was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Aaron Witkos, 17, of Oakham. Mr. Kauppila died when the car left the road and struck a tree March 16.

The two had attended a formal Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps ball in Gardner earlier in the evening with other Quabbin students, police said.

Contact Kim Ring at kim.ring@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @kimmring